Massenas Bogosian reaches 7-year deal

WINNIPEG, Manitoba  Massena native Zach Bogosian hopes to skate for the Winnipeg Jets for quite a while longer after signing a seven-year, $36 million contract with the NHL team Monday.

Bogosian, a defenseman, played 33 games for Winnipeg last season and finished with five goals and nine assists. The 23-year-old, who has played in the NHL for five seasons already, has registered 34 goals and 69 assists in 297 career games, all with the Jets franchise, including the teams days as the Atlanta Thrashers.

Ive made it clear since my first time being in Winnipeg that its a place Ive wanted to be for a long time, said Bogosian in a conference call. Im just real happy that Winnipeg believed in me and gave me another chance to prove myself.

Bogosian was the last of the Jets restricted free agents. A member of the so-called Big Three of free-agent Jets, he followed the signings of right-winger Blake Wheeler (6 years, $33.6 million) and center Bryan Little (5 years, $23.5 million).

Bogosian was drafted third overall by Atlanta in 2008. The Thrashers stood by their young player, who was skating in the NHL as an 18-year-old, despite some rough times. Bogosian recorded a plus-minus of minus-27 for the 34-36-12 Thrashers in 2010-11.

I didnt exactly have the best start to my career in Atlanta and obviously moving up to Winnipeg gave me a chance to play in a hockey market and play in a hockey town, said Bogosian, whose brother, Aaron, played in the AHL and ECHL last season. Thats where the term came in, it was definitely a no-brainer for me to want to stay there for a long time.

Bogosian, last week, was announced as one of the players invited to U.S. Olympic orientation camp that will take place next month.

Aside from re-signing Bogosian, Wheeler and Little, the Jets have also added right wing Michael Frolik, who they acquired in a trade with Stanley Cup champion Chicago, and right winger Devin Setoguchi, picked up in a deal with Minnesota.

Earlier this month, the Jets signed defenseman Grant Clitsome, a former Clarkson player.

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